Pininfarina Showcases Innovation

On its stand at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Italian automotive design studio Pininfarina is showcasing the full extent of its skills by debuting a bespoke dream car built to a racing driver’s exact requirements and a luxury plug-in electric sedan for the Chinese market.

The driver in question is former F1 and Indy 500 champion Emerson Fittipaldi and the car, the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo by Pininfarina, was developed in collaboration with German engineering firm HWA AG. Like a genuine racing car, its naturally aspirated V8 engine has an integrated gearbox and they’re pretty much the only elements of the vehicle that aren’t carbon fibre.

As for its styling, Fittipaldi used a shark as his touchstone in the briefing sessions — he wanted a ferocious predator that is also graceful and beautiful, if a little frightening to look at.

“I have tried for years to explain to others what it truly feels like to be behind the steering wheel of a championship racecar. There is adrenaline and elation all rolled into an awe-inspiring inner fulfillment that leaves you craving for more. This is what our dream team created in the EF7 Vision Gran Turismo by Pininfarina,” said Fittipaldi.

Now that it’s finished, it will go into a limited production run under the newly formed Fittipaldi Motors marque. As part of the ownership experience, each buyer will gain exclusive membership to the Fittipaldi Racing Club where they will get one-on-one driving tuition from the man himself and get to compete in race days at some of the world’s most famous circuits.

While for those that can’t get on the waiting list, the car will also be appearing in the popular PlayStation game Gran Turismo later this year as a guest car.

Pininfarina’s other world debut is the H600, a luxury sports sedan built for Hybrid Kinetic Group (HK), a Hong Kong company specialising in electric and hybrid powertrains.

The 5-metre-long car uses a combination of electric motors, a battery pack and a turbine engine that spins to recharge the battery on the go and extend range. As a result it can travel for up to 1000km before the battery and fuel tank need replenishing. And because this drivetrain is compact there is much more cabin space available (plus a 500-litre truck) than in any of its potential competitors.

This car also represents the start of an ongoing partnership between the two companies that will see Pininfarina design and build cars for the Chinese market.

“Pininfarina has always had sustainable mobility in its DNA. With the H600 it responds once again to the need for zero emissions, felt more than anywhere in Hybrid Kinetic Group’s home market, China,” said Pininfarina CEO Silvio Pietro Angori.